


Brother

by KayJayo



Category: Overwatch (Video Game), overwatch
Genre: Other, Overwatch - Freeform, Overwatch Family, Shimada Brothers, Shimada Clan, genji shimada - Freeform, hanzo shimada - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-01-07
Packaged: 2019-10-06 08:42:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17342207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KayJayo/pseuds/KayJayo
Summary: Genji Shimada is sent back to Hanamura for the first time since his confrontation with Hanzo on a Blackwatch mission that leads him to question his role in the organization.





	Brother

**Author's Note:**

> There's no romance or fluff or incest - this is just a thought that I had about Genji and the events leading up to him quitting Blackwatch.

"They are sending you on a mission today? Do they realize what day it is?”

“I saw no reason to say anything, I am the best suited for infiltration missions and it is my duty to assist in dismantling my family’s empire.”

Genji sat on a hospital cot, facing away from Doctor Angela Ziegler. She stood at his back, fine tuning and adjusting a few things within Genji’s cybernetic body. It was protocol that Genji receive a check up before and after every mission, especially since he had recently been fitted with a new, more permanent, body. Up until that point he had been using a simple prototype, but Doctor Ziegler had recently managed to whip up a much more reasonable option. And, since he was finally comfortable enough in his body to go on missions without supervision, Genji was often the one chosen for infiltration or recon because of his strength in stealth.

 For this particular mission, he was to go and listen in on a business deal between a member of the Shimada Clan and an unknown third party.

It was out of character for the Shimada Clan to make such a deal without the knowledge or approval of the clan head, but according to Blackwatch’s intel that’s exactly what was happening.

Genji had spent the last five years of his life with Blackwatch – his desire of stopping his old family clan his greatest source of purpose.

“And will your brother be there?” Angela asked quietly, obvious worry in her voice. 

“The commander says our intelligence places him farther north – on his own personal mission of sorts. That’s what has them so interested in this deal – _He_ doesn’t seem to be involved, which could be discord within the clan. If that were the case we may be able to use it to our advantage in taking them down.”

“Still, to send you back to that place today…” Angela’s voice trailed off.

 Genji said nothing. He had not been to Hanamura since that day, exactly five years ago. Upon seeing the look on Angela’s face Genji said, “I will not let my emotions cloud my actions. I am trained for this type of thing, and besides, Hanamura is no longer my home.” Despite his words Angela didn’t find Genji convincing. 

 

The Commander dropped Genji off on the edge of the city. As he was familiar with Hanamura, it would be easy for him to get to Shimada Castle unseen. He stayed mostly to the shadows and rooftops – of course, given the way he had spent his childhood, those were the places most familiar to him. Genji tried not to chase nostalgia as he passed his childhood haunts. He continued, as he had for years now, to bury any fond family memories. He had no desire to forgive Hanzo, and letting childhood daydreams cloud his mind would not help him achieve his goal. So, Genji continued by keeping his face stone cold and ignoring the ache in his heart.

 As Genji drew upon Shimada Castle, he froze. The large wooden gateway had never seemed as menacing as it did now – it loomed in the darkness before him and sent a chill down his spine. He no longer belonged here. He was an unwelcome outsider. This was not – would not ever be – his home again. The Shimada Clan were his enemy and Hanzo was his murderer, not his brother.

Steeling himself with a quick, calming breath, Genji scaled the wooden doors and slipped away onto the top of the structure to his left. It took every ounce of Genji’s mental strength not to imagine a younger version of himself, playing there with his older brother, back before Hanzo chose the clan over him – before he was betrayed and slaughtered. _Focus._ He thought.

Four men stood before the giant bell below. The one in front was Genji’s target, Musashi. He was the one the Commander believed was operating without Hanzo’s knowledge. Was his goal to take over the Clan, or destroy it? Genji wondered if maybe they had a potential ally.

Genji started as the wooden gate parted with a groan _,_ and then chided himself for it. He was trained for these circumstances, but he was so distracted that he couldn’t help feeling jittery and discombobulated.

Through the gate strode a single man dressed in black. He walked slowly and assuredly toward Musashi. Genji was now directly above them, listening. Anything he heard would be transmitted back to base via the com system installed within his visor.

Genji tried to focus on their discussion, but he kept finding himself sidetracked. His eyes wandered over the large bell behind the men; over the walls, and wooden floors. He knew the Commander was listening, but it still surprised him when he heard Reyes say, “Genji, move a little closer.”

Genji did as he was told. As he moved, he saw a flicker of movement in the distance. He froze. A man was climbing up the side of a wall, entering the main hall of the castle from the side. He carried a bow and quiver upon  his back.

 _Genji recognized their movement_. How could he not? He had seen it every day of his childhood – strove tirelessly to emulate it many times. Genji began to follow the figure. He didn’t give his mission a second thought. Slowly, in a daze, he reached up his hand and switched off his coms before the commander had time to protest.

It took a moment, but he located him in the main hall. As he suspected, it was Hanzo. His hair was shorter than Genji had ever seen it, and he carried with him a bow and quiver of arrows, but Genji had chased after that back every day of his youth – he could recognize it anywhere.

 Suddenly, the memories of their last encounter flooded back, and with it all of Genji’s rage. More than anything else, Genji remembered the pain. Physical, at the injuries he received, but also emotional, from the knowledge that his older cared so little for him that he was able to destroy him without question.

He didn’t realize he was crying until the tears hit his face plate. He rubbed his eyes, embarrassed and ashamed to show such a weakness, despite being alone. Genji looked down at his hand as he withdrew it. It was such an odd sensation, being able to touch yet unable to feel warmth or texture. He clenched his cybernetic fist and watched the strain of the false muscles dejectedly.

 _That’s right_ , he thought, _if it weren’t for Hanzo, I wouldn’t be like this._ He did his best to blink the remaining tears away, and lined up his shot. It would have been easy – should have been easy. From this distance, with Hanzo turned away from him and nothing but a bow for protection, he had a great advantage. One shot – three shuriken. That was all it would take. Why couldn’t he do it? 

Did Hanzo not take his life from him? His body?

_Hanzo betrayed me! He deserves this!_

Hanzo knelt, and drew something from his kimono. His gentle movement momentarily stayed Genji’s hand. He stepped to the side to see what Hanzo handled so tenderly. It was incense. Hanzo then pulled out a single feather, pondered it for a moment in the palm of his hand, and set it down softly. It was impossible to tell from where he crouched but Genji didn’t need to see it clearly to know it was a sparrow feather.

 _He’s burning incense…for me._ He realized. For an inexplicable moment, he was almost touched. But the anger returned. _How…how can he mourn when all of this is his fault?_ _I’ve wanted this – wished for this opportunity for years, and now, here he is before me, defenseless. I have to kill him._ He took aim once again.

Before Genji could take the shot, Hanzo’s head fell, and his shoulders drooped dolefully, as if he had lost everything.

_No – not you, anyone but you._

Hanzo had always been stronger than Genji. Their whole lives Genji had followed Hanzo, watching, as he grew in both strength and stature. Hanzo had pride and honor unfailingly. There was a strength he derived from them that Genji never fully understood. To see him kneeling in sorrow – whether it was from regret, shame, or some other feeling altogether - hurt more than anything Genji had expected. No matter what had happened between them, Genji still had those childhood feelings of chasing after Hanzo, of looking up to him. Hanzo was an incredible person throughout his life that was actually within his reach. As a child Genji thought that someday he might be able to catch up, be greater than his elder brother ever was, but he never did. Hanzo was eternally two steps ahead.

Genji’s anger ebbed. He didn’t know what he felt anymore. Pity? Sorrow? Fury? It could have been all of them, or none. He sheathed his Shuriken, and his eyes focused on his right hand – his cybernetic hand. He had failed. There was no one true reason why he had chosen to become a Cyborg. He wanted to be able to walk again, but that would have been impossible if not for the rage that spurned him on. He wanted revenge on Hanzo and his clan. It was the force that had kept him going through years of pain. Now, here he was, unable to exact his revenge on the man who stole his life. He looked at his body and was filled with disgust. What was he now - a wretched _thing_ unable to fulfill his only purpose in life? What could a man – _No,_ he thought, _what could a machine with no purpose possibly do?_

Hanzo’s stirring woke Genji from his dilemma, and he slipped further into the shadows. Hanzo slowly stood and gathered up his things, taking a long, deep, breath. Genji barely heard him mutter the words, “I’m sorry, little brother,” before he bowed his head, and fled the room as quickly as he had entered.

Genji was frozen. He remembered his reason for coming to Hanamura in the first place and he desperately tried to focus his thoughts on getting back on mission. Unfortunately, by the time he returned to the giant bell, the men were all gone. _So I failed two missions tonight,_ he thought.

Genji returned to the rendezvous site as quickly as he could. He wanted nothing more than to leave Hanamura forever.

Commander Reyes was waiting for him. He didn’t look happy. “What the hell was that?” Reyes growled as Genji walked passed him into the airship.

Genji knew he was justified in being angry. Genji went rogue and returned without a single bit of useful data. He didn’t know what to say.

When he wasn’t forthcoming, Reyes continued, “What happened out there? Why did you turn off your coms?”

Slowly, quietly, Genji replied, “I saw my brother,”

If Reyes felt any particular emotion about Genji’s answer, he gave no indication. “Did you kill him?”

The question broke the stupor Genji had been in since returning, and he turned to look the commander in the eyes. “No,” he answered. “I wanted to, but I couldn’t do it.” Genji was certain the commander was going to blow up in his face. He had lost them valuable intel without even a good cause as to why he went astray. Instead, Reyes quietly but firmly commanded, “As soon as we get back to headquarters report to Doctor Ziegler. No field missions for you until she says you’re stable enough.”

Part of Genji wanted to argue that he was deserving of some sort of punishment, but more than that feeling was an inescapable tiredness. He had just learned that everything he rebuilt his life around was a lie. He convinced himself that he would be able to get justice for what his clan did to him – for what Hanzo did to him - but he couldn’t. How could he stay with the team when he held no value for them?

As instructed he returned to Doctor Ziegler’s medical bay as soon as they returned to headquarters. Upon seeing him, she ran over and tackled him in a hug. The brief human contact was hardly enough.

“Are you alright, Genji? What happened?”

They moved to sit on the cot in the center of the room, and Genji relayed everything.

“I couldn’t kill him, Angela,”

Angela took a long moment before responding, “Is that such a bad thing?”

Genji’s eyebrows knit together as he looked at her. “Why would you say that?”

“You’ve dedicated the last five years of your life to this crusade, and now, you say you’ve failed. But no matter what he did Hanzo is still your brother, and you’ve proven yourself to be a better man than he by not taking his life. And now, you can find a new, hopefully less sullen, meaning for your life.”

“What meaning could there possibly be for a hybrid like me?” Genji knew he sounded crass, but he meant every word. He couldn’t see any farther than the mechanical arm at his side.

“I can’t give you that answer, Genji. But I hope you find it.” She gently placed his hand on his shoulder before she stood and exited the room.

 

The next morning, Doctor Angela Ziegler found a note addressed to her in her office:

 

_Dear Angela,_

_I want my life to have meaning, but I don’t think that sticking around Blackwatch is going to help me find it. I thought the purpose of my second chance was to destroy the Shimada clan, and kill my brother, but since I failed, I no longer have a reason to stick around. I know that this doesn’t follow protocol, and the commander will probably have my head if he ever sees me again, but I need to do this. I read of a place in Nepal inhabited by omnic monks, and I thought I might take a look. I’ve always hated this body, and the thing I became, so I don’t remember ever telling you this, but thank you for saving my life. I hope that the next time I see you I can proudly say that I am grateful for the body and the life you gave me._

Genji Shimada


End file.
